Hainan forges tighter bond with Malaysia

More than 400 guests attended an event on Monday to promote Hainan province in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said at the event that the free trade port will provide Malaysia with three new opportunities — opening a new channel for trade and investment, cultivating new momentum for modern industrial cooperation and building a new platform for international cooperation.

Malaysian enterprises can "further understand Hainan and create great opportunities to enter China and the Asia-Pacific markets", he said.

The event's theme was "Sharing the New Opportunities of Hainan Free Trade Port, Creating a New Future for RCEP".

Overseas Chinese people and companies that invested in Malaysia through Hainan including Dato' Lim Chiew Ah, president of the Federation of Hainan Association Malaysia, and Liu Wei, chief representative in Hainan of the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, shared their plans to link businesses and expand bilateral cooperation and development in the future.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China next year, Malaysia will grant 30-day visa-free travel for Chinese citizens starting on Friday, and Malaysians traveling to China will be granted visa-free travel for up to 15 days.

With the announcement of the two-way visa-free policy, the countries will gave more cooperation in the future, said Liew Chin Tong, Malaysia's deputy minister of investment, trade and industry.

He added that the connection between Hainan and Malaysia is not just rubber cultivation, but also embraces overseas Hainan descendants who live in Malaysia.

Agreements on eight key cooperation projects were signed at the event, covering areas such as agriculture, trade, education and business service and deepening the bilateral partnership between Hainan and Malaysia.

The Hainan International Economic Development Bureau, the provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology and Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports gave presentations on geographical locations in the RCEP region, favorable policies, the business environment, industrial investment opportunities, tourism industry cooperation and other aspects of the Hainan Free Trade Port. Malaysia's Investment Development Authority spoke of investment opportunities in the country.